GM spokesman Tom Wickham said the layoffs at Flint Engine -- which is located at 2100 Bristol Road -- were imminent, as the third shift was added only to bide time for GM Korea facilities to get up and running.

“Flint Engine employees were notified this week the third assembly shift will cease operation in April,” Wickham said.

“We had planned on this happening because Flint Engine has been building and exporting 1.4-liter engines to Korea until GM Korea could begin production of the same engine for the Buick Encore, which is assembled in that country.”

The plant will lay off 44 production workers, 20 skilled trade workers and 40 temporary employees. Wickham said that it is premature to say when the employees will be laid off or how long the layoffs will last.

Flint Engine employs more than 900 hourly and salaried employees. They make the 1.4-liter engine for the Chevy Volt, Cruze and Sonic – along with the aforementioned Buick Encore – and the 3.6-liter engine for the Cadillac CTS, Buick Enclave, Chevy Traverse and GMC Acadia.

“Unfortunately, while this means layoffs here in Flint, it demonstrates that GM can leverage its global facilities to support timely launches throughout the world,” Wickham said.